'Avengers: Doomsday' Cast on Why Chris Evans Returned, Doctor Doom's Past & the Original X-Men

Here we go, let's get to it everyone. So here's where I want to start. I understand from the Russos that just two of you got the full script, is that right? I don't know, I didn't bother to read it. Because I knew it was going to change. I got two scripts and threw them away. So you ad-libbed the entire thing. That's understandable, why not. So have any of you seen the movie yet then? No one has seen a cut of the film. What? Oh, maybe. I'm on the inside track and it is absolutely fantastic. Is it as good as that Hall H trailer we just saw? It's like that except extra. And I'll sidebar with all of you. Fill everyone in on it. I think we may redeem ourselves yet. But for those of you who did not get the full script at this point, do you know what happens? Or are you all still in the dark? Who didn't get the full script? The Russos are lying to you to create some kind of story. We have 50 versions. Oh, so that's the thing. Which one are you talking about? 49. We know what happens. We're not going to tell you. No, no, I'm not asking you to. We know. Every single one of us. All right. That's just what I'm curious. How much you guys get to know what everyone else is doing. Would it make you happier if we didn't know? Maybe a little bit. I think that's the thing. I didn't get the script. Perfect, thank you. Glad to know. Someone does not know what's happening in this movie. Robert, considering you're playing Doom, what noticeable similarities are there between Doom and Tony Stark? Is there a through line between these guys? I mean, there's the science thing, and then they're considered pretty brilliant guys. But Tony had the trauma that kind of turned him into a hero. And Doom's got the exact opposite. To where it takes the prowess of all of these folks to go up against him. And it was a joy to behold. It was really weird being on the other side of a bad guy mask. Because it's just such an isolated vibe. And I'm seeing them all, like, socializing and stuff. And I'm the enemy. Well, that's great. I was going to ask, because you guys, you've shared so many of these films together. And had, I would assume, a very different working dynamic on this than those? You know, I was saying earlier, it's like going back to 2011 on the first Avengers. Because at the beginning of that, you know, you're kind of the new kid on the block. And you're excited to be there. And I would find myself, during that movie, watching. You know, you're in the scene, but then you're just like, you know. I went down with Junior, he's playing Tony Stark. Oh, I have a line. And on this one, I felt that a little bit again. Just kind of watching you do this thing that I couldn't wait to see. I was like, all right, let's do it. You know, and just kind of being a fan. Does the film, do the characters, do you all acknowledge that he looks like Tony Stark? Like, does that add emotional stakes to the action here? We can't touch that. Oh, okay. Can't touch this! Please, you can continue singing. Okay, understood. All right, got it. So the answer is yes. No. Okay, Pedro, for you. Doom is, from the footage that we got to see today, Doom is from the Fantastic Four universe. Sue talks about him. They knew him. She thought she could help him. So do the Fantastic Four feel like a personal responsibility in any way for him being kind of unleashed on the world? But you have to think about it. I did have to think about it, and the answer is no. Do you think about it because you don't want a sniper to take you out, or really it's more complex than that? See, intellectuals understand that we're all responsible for ourselves. You're catching us at the end of a press day. This is going to be fun. The world that we're in and the way that I understand it through Reed, at least, is very singular to the relationship that I have to Doom. And I guess there is a big barrier between the context that we all have as audience members to the experience of Avengers and the incredible way that all of it is threaded together as we have X-Men sitting with us within this group. But it's very easy for me to be very single-focused through the perspective of the character as it relates to somebody like Victor Bono. I just want to remind you to look into the camera as you're answering these questions. That was verging on filibuster, if you like. No, but it was a great answer. For you two guys, in the footage, there's kind of a montage of the Avengers with their kids. Are we safe in making an assumption that those kids are being highlighted because they might be a target in any way? It's a good question. 20 minutes of tracks. That's what this is. Doom wants to go after people where it hurts most. Is that an okay way of putting it? He wants to get their attention in a very high-stakes way. Should we talk about the Odyssey? We can. Actually, I haven't seen it. Who has seen it? Don't say anything yet. Oh, you don't know how it ends? That'll work. A lot has changed over the years with superhero makeup and what can be done to transform someone in the way that you do, specifically for Mystique. How different was it for you this time? Apparently, they were no longer interested in waiting for actors to be processed, so it was much faster. That said, the original transformation that I went through for those first three X-Men movies was really imperative to that character for me. It really put me in just the right headspace to play somebody as angry as Mystique. That makes a lot of sense. It seems like, from what we've seen in the trailer, there are some echoes of your classic Mystique-Wolverine fight sequence from the original X-Men in your Doomsday fight sequence with Florence Pugh. How do they compare, those fights? One's with Yelena and one's with Wolverine. But in terms of scale, in terms of training. Because we were with Fox, and these are now a different studio. Actually, Mystique had a slightly different fight style back then than now. Just as fierce. It was really fun working with Florence. I think it's the secret's out, right? It's in the trailer, I think we can say that. It was a big moment, you and Kelsey being back. I have to say, we just nerded out. I think it lit up this constellation of excitement. This couldn't have been easy to pull off. The story encompasses it. Again, having seen everything that I won't talk to you about, it's just incredible. For the two of you, thank you for teeing them up. Thank you for the help. Thank you for that. I don't want to lose a finger. No, of course, of course. I don't want you to either. But the original X-Men really paved the way for modern superhero movies. So, what is different about superhero movies now from when you helped launch them? Boy, I wish I could really answer that question. I really enjoyed being in X-Men. I really enjoyed being Beast. I love the character. I love him. I have this sense of this kind of nobility about him. That he carries himself with a deep respect for all life. So, that I think translates into the superhero universe. I mean, honestly, I think that's what we're all here for. And it's extraordinary that these characters have taken on a role in our society that actually reflects the same thing. It's just this goodwill. The hope that actually there is goodness in all of us. And that good still triumphs. That's pretty great. Well, you recently got to reprise your perhaps most iconic role, Frasier. Did you ever think a day would come that this would circle back in your life? I did not, no. But it did break my heart 22 years ago. Sure. You know, whatever. My heart, I still wear it on my sleeve. There you go. I like that. Thank you. Letitia, huge news with David Johnson joining MCU as Black Panther in the third movie. A lot of people excited about that. We'd love to hear your reaction to his casting as... Do we call him T'Challa Jr.? What can we call him here? Prince T'Challa right now. Exactly, yeah. And what will that relationship be like with Shuri? Firstly, the news was really beautiful to hear. Because I have a personal connection to David. And just a special, special person. Good heart. And just to see the full circle of that today. I'm still living in it, you know. And we're both still like checking in with each other about it. But in terms of what Shuri means to him, you know. Shuri's gone through so much, you know. And in this film, Doomsday, we see her growth. We see her, you know, fully in this position. As Black Panther, but also just a renewed woman, you know. And powerful and strong. And that leadership quality that she's grown up around, you know. With Ramonda, her mother. T'Challa, her brother. She now has that mantle to pass on. And those guidance and that wisdom to pass on. So it's beautiful to see the arc of this character. 2018, starting as this beautiful scientist in the lab. Just trying to help her big brother out. To just elevating and growing. And now being like a source of wisdom for, you know. For her young nephew is beautiful. So yeah, I'm going to have a really good time. A lot of fun. And I'm going to pick on him so much. Did you guys know the news of David before today? Or did you find out pretty much... He's very secretive on this camp. Yeah, reaction from anyone else? About David? Yeah. Banana's over it. I think it's amazing. I think he's amazing. I think he's joining an amazing, amazing cast. David and Louis, now that the new Avengers, as you guys are called. Are, you know, joining forces with the old Avengers. Is there a hierarchy? Is there a power ranking? How do their worlds blend? I mean, there's trouble for sure. Like, we definitely approach things differently than those guys. And we have different ideas about how to do things. I mean, clearly, we are right. But not everyone agrees with us. Unexpected route to get to the same destination. But it's fun. Sure. Paul, if you could answer this one for me. If you think about, like, Infinity War was this kind of race against the clock. This extreme game of hot potato. In game, you kind of compare it to a heist movie. This really huge, you know, final showdown. Then what is Doomsday? Is there a genre we could kind of look at? It's a trap. Yeah, no, thanks. Well, is there a genre? I don't know. Maybe. But it does feel... Rom-com. Between you two? It does feel unique. Like, this was, oh, this has... I haven't seen this. And I'm excited to see the film. Because I know reading it and being there and working on it. This feels... The enormity of it was apparent. And it felt just very fresh. And a little bit like what Chris was saying. Oh, wow. I feel like it's my first day of school. And look at all of these people. And when I would watch scenes and things like that. I haven't seen this before. And this is really cool to be here. What genre that is, I don't really know. But it's a good one. Yeah, yeah. You guys have... I guess all of you, the most movies together. Of course, you two, several. But when you started on this journey, did you feel... Did you go into it feeling like there might be an expiration date for when you would want to be done? Or was it kind of open-ended for you? We'll see what comes. Evans, that's got to go to you. You didn't even want to do it to begin with. You know, I don't know about an expiration date. But I certainly, when we finished Endgame in 2018, Lou and Kevin took me to dinner and they were like, we'd love to keep doing movies with Steve Rogers as Nomad. And I said, okay, well, what do you got? And they showed me a pitch. And it was a great pitch. But for whatever reason, it just didn't feel right at the time. I kind of wanted to... It was a little precious. I wanted to preserve it. But I just said, please keep pitching. And over the course of, you know, eight years, I probably heard at least a dozen pitches. And they were all wonderful. It just never quite felt right. And you do start thinking, maybe this, the expirable of whatever it is, maybe it's not right because it's just not right. And then I got a phone call from my team saying there's a rumor. Downey's talking to Marvel. And I was like, oh, what does this mean? And all of a sudden, it felt right. You know, Joe gave me the pitch. And it just, all of a sudden, it was like, this is it. So I guess it's a never say never, but I'm certainly not willing to just jump back in for anything. I think everyone here is precious with their role in the universe and, you know, this stuff. It's earned its position over a long period of time. You don't want to mess with that. Yeah. Protective of the characters. Yeah. Kind of go through. By the way, your co-star from The Gray Man, Ryan Gosling joining the MCU. Yeah. Ghost Rider. What I mean, what do you guys think on that one? That's exciting. Yeah. Is there is there a world where he would be part of you? I don't know. Is there a world where there could ever be a crossover? I don't know. I want him and Spider Noir with Nick come back in and be a motorcycle sidecar. That would be a real kind of mine. Yeah. Getting the two of them together. Okay. Let me ask you guys this. Does Secret Wars feel like a part two to Doomsday or are they separate films? Kind of like how Endgame was to Infinity Wars. Is it going to be that kind of thing? They always want to tie one to the next. And you're so right. Infinity War was a chase film and Endgame was a heist. And trust that we're not into repeater status. But I think you might be on to something, brother. Okay. And that's all they're going to say. And I'm going to end it there. I won't put you through this pain anymore. No. Thank you all so much. Are we happy to be off the hot seat? All right. I appreciate it, you guys. Thank you so much for being here. It is warm in here. So hot. Thanks, everyone.